Scholarships & Awards
Preliminary Awards
Prelim Lifestyle & Fitness in Swimsuit $100 Cash
sponsored by Sculpt Fitness
Prelim Evening Gown $100.00 Cash sponsored by
Anderson’s Funeral Home
Pat Musk
Non-Finalist Talent Award ($100.00 Cash)
Pat Musk was our talented and inspiring organist
who played for the National Sweetheart Pageant for over 40 years prior
to her passing in 2009. And
in her honor, the Jaycees elected to name a non-finalist talent award
the “Pat Musk Talent Award”. This award is presented to the non-finalist
contestant whose talent the judges found the most entertaining. The
winner of this award will not only receive a cash award during our
awards presentation but will also perform on Sunday night as well.
Miss
Congeniality ($150.00 Cash)
Miss Congeniality is an award given to the
friendliest contestant as determined by a vote among the Sweethearts.
Other qualities in Miss Congeniality besides friendliest is helpful,
genuine and outgoing contestant in the pageant. Miss Congeniality should
pay more attention to others than herself.
Bonnie
Berglund Parade Wear Award ($300.00 Cash) – announced on-stage Sunday
after parade wear walk
The Grand Parade has been a longstanding tradition
for both the National Sweetcorn Festival and National Sweetheart
Pageant, with many contestants portraying their states in unique ways
over the years. In 2016, parade wear became a judged category, thus
formally encouraging contestants to be creative in representing their
home state. This year, the Bonnie Berglund Award for Parade Wear will be
given to the contestant scoring highest in this area of competition.
Bonnie was a well known area seamstress, creating and altering hundreds
of gowns while having owned a bridal store.
She has volunteered her skills for numerous Halloween and musical
costumes over the years, many seen locally at Country Theatre Workshop
and Artistic Repertory Theatre. While Bonnie passed last December, she
would have celebrated her 98th Birthday in August of 2023.
People’s
Choice (50/50 split)
On-line voting will occur through Saturday 9/3 @
midnight and collection Bags will be set up at the pageant for cash
donations for a favorite contestant.
The money collected will be split 50/50- half proceeds will be
going to the Hoopeston Jaycees Organization for special community
projects and the other half awarded to the contestant who brought in the
most donations.
Ronnie Reed
Community Service Award ($150.00 Cash) A/B
Ronnie was the unsung hero of this pageant, and I
am not sure even the most connected member of the staff realized all
that he contributed. Not
only was he an instrumental volunteer with this event, but many events
in this community and this county benefited by his desire to give back.
Due to Ronnie’s strong commitment towards his desire to give back. Due
to Ronnie’s strong commitment towards volunteerism, the Ronnie Reed
Service Award is presented to the contestant who, through her civic and
community involvement, showed a personal connection, enduring commitment
and the impact her service had on the local level.
Sweetheart
Community Service Award ($150.00 Cash) C/D
This Community Service Award is sponsored by our
2018 Miss National Sweetheart and the current Miss Louisiana Volunteer
Kaitryana Leinbach and recognizes a sweetheart contestant who shows
passion for her community, service to humanity, and encourages
volunteerism to become more community-engaged. This individual
recognizes the importance of partnering with numerous organizations to
make a meaningful change in their community. This recipient actively
demonstrates the importance of transforming communities into a more
cohesive, caring, and stronger place to live.
John Bitner
Non-Finalist Interview Award ($100.00 Cash)
Sadly, long time pageant volunteer John Bitner left
us far too soon when he passed away. In his memory, a special award has
been created and is given annually to the highest scoring non-finalist
interview recipient who exhibits potential success in their pageant and
personal life, and who needs some extra encouragement from the judges to
utilize their talents to become the leader they are meant to be.
This award is named the John Bitner Memorial Judges Award.
Overall
Interview Scholarship Award ($100.00 Cash)- sponsored by former
Judge Paul Fogarty
Misti Runge
Memorial Scholarship Award ($50.00 A/B & $50.00 C/D)
A few years ago, we dedicated the pageant to a
longtime volunteer and supporter who, after a courageous fight, lost her
battle to cancer. Past
Sweethearts thought so much of Misti Runge, that in her honor, 2014 Miss
North Dakota Sweetheart Faye Stromberg began raising money for a
scholarship. Again, this year, two young women will be chosen, selected
by the Chaperones of the pageant. The criteria by which these
Sweethearts will be selected will reflect Misti’s devotion to the
system, positive attitude, sense of humor, strength, and fun-loving
spirit.
STEM
Scholarship (Victoria Humphrey and Katarina Fielding) ($250.00 Cash)
Our STEM Scholarship was established in 2017 and
funded by our 2016 Miss National Sweetheart Victoria Humphrey. In 2018
our 2017 Vermont Sweetheart and 2017 recipient of the STEM Scholarship
was kind enough to contribute to this award thus increasing this
Scholarship in 2018. STEM scholarship was introduced for sweethearts who
study and want to work in the fields of science, technology, engineering
or math (STEM).
Directors
Award Funded by Directors Kate Moore/Dana Kuntz ($50.00 Cash)
The Director’s award is given to a contestant who,
in the director’s opinion, has been punctual, prepared and focused
during rehearsals. This recipient has also shown initiative throughout
the week and appears competent, compassionate, cooperative and displays
consideration of others.
Exercise is
Medicine Scholarship donated by The Gibson Financial Services Family -
($100.00 Cash)
Miss Hoopeston 1986 Amy Slates Gibson and her
husband David Gibson established in 2019 – Research has proven that
regular physical fitness may prevent or reduce the leading causes of
death and bankruptcy in this country: heart disease, cancer, diabetes
and stroke. Good health translates to great financial planning, because
you will be able to keep your money to spend or invest as you choose.
This $100 scholarship is awarded to the young leader who understands the
value of regular physical fitness, and is willing to devote her life’s
work to the exercise sciences, to prevent diseases from happening.
Erica
Hemphill Memorial Scholarship – donated by Natalie and Darren Duncan
($100.00 Cash)
Erica Kaylyn Hemphill was born October 19, 1993 and
sadly passed away unexpectedly on February 5, 2021.
She was a daughter, granddaughter, sister and aunt.
We also knew Erica as Miss Maine Class of 2015 and 2016, Miss
International 2015, and our Miss Maine Sweetheart 2016.
Words do not begin to describe this dynamic soul.
Erica lost her life very suddenly due to an undiagnosed
glioblastoma. She was a
strong advocate for the National Sweetheart Pageant.
She accomplished so much in her short 27 years. She loved all
styles of dance: Lyrical, Ballet en Pointe, Clogging, Tap, Jazz,
Bollywood and Hip-Hop. She
loved reading, watching true crime documentaries on Netflix, sewing and
participating in community events. Erica was from a small city in
Northern Maine where almost everyone was a farmer so with that
background she enjoyed her time here in Hoopeston and felt right at
home. She was a treasure
and is deeply missed by her friends and family. In honor of Erica
Hemphill, her host family Natalie and Darren Duncan decided to establish
this scholarship in her memory. We are grateful to play a small part of
life’s journey for Erica, and she would be incredibly proud to know
through this scholarship her legacy lives on.
Eva Leanza
Cornett Memorial Scholarship ($500.00 Cash)
Awarded to Miss National
Sweetheart - Eva Leanza Cornett was born June 10, 1971. Eva Leanza
Cornett Memorial Scholarship this year was established in memory of this
amazing woman by those who loved her. She supported the National
Sweetheart Pageant at a time many turned their backs. She loved the
Midwest hospitality, enjoyed not only being crowned 1991 Miss National
Sweetheart but we had the distinct honor to have her return in 2016 as a
Judge. When Leanza took to
the stage, she was incredible to watch. Cornett won the Miss
Jacksonville pageant at the age of 18, and went on to win Miss
Jacksonville University, Miss Winter Park, Miss National Sweetheart,
Miss Florida and ultimately Miss America 1993.
Her voice was described as incredible, perfect, and masterfully
controlled – a voice that reached many.
This scholarship is award to the new Miss National Sweetheart.
Leanza was a turbulent force, a champion for AIDS Awareness, when the
subject was considered taboo.
By all accounts, she was a true trailblazer in this respect.
Sadly Leanza lost her life on October 28, 2020 after suffering a serious
head injury two weeks earlier in a fall at her home.
Heaven gained a beautiful soul, Leanza you are deeply missed and
we are proud to honor her legacy through this scholarship.
Pam Eldred
Memorial Talent Award ($250.00 Cash)
This Talent Award goes to the highest scoring dancer.
In 1968 Pam Eldred from Michigan competed at Sweetheart (after
placing first runner-up at Miss Michigan on her first try). As a
contestant she won the talent award at Sweetheart, and she was THRILLED.
The following year she became the first sweetheart contestant to win the
title of Miss America. She
was also the first ballet dancer to win the Miss America title.
In all her pageant experiences she describes the people of
Hoopeston as some of the warmest and friendliest she ever met. Her
daughter, Hilary Levey Friedman, judged the Sweetheart Pageant in 2018
and agrees. She named this award for her mother.
Overall
Talent Scholarship Award
($100.00 Cash) sponsored by The Actor’s Connection of New York
The Spirit
of Hoopeston Award ($100.00 Cash) sponsored by Callie Lankford &
Lauren Linares
The Spirit of Hoopeston Award is sponsored by past
Miss Hoopestons and past Festival Chairpersons who have served in both
positions: Callie (Huffman) Lankford Miss Hoopeston 2009 & 73rd
Festival Chairperson and Lauren Linares Miss Hoopeston 2019 & 78th
Festival Chairperson. The
award recipient will be selected by the reigning Miss Hoopeston, and is
presented to a contestant that throughout their week in the Hoopeston
Community has shown enthusiasm for the National Sweetcorn Festival &
National Sweetheart Pageant and exhibits kindness to those around them.
In-Kind
Scholarships:
Actors Connection of New York would like to offer
these in-kind scholarships to our 2022 National Sweetheart Pageant Top 5
Finalists. Some of the most popular classes for pageant winners is their
Film/TV, TV Hosting, Commercials, Voice Over, Theater, Musical Theater
and Screenwriting classes.
They offer Free online Acting Classes and More – visit their website at
actorsconnection.com.
Contestants are responsible for their own expenses and transportation to
New York for these services in-person.
Winner $3,000 – In kind Scholarship
1st Runner Up - $1,500 –
In kind Scholarship
2nd Runner Up - $1,000 –
in kind Scholarship
3rd Runner Up - $750.00 –
In kind Scholarship
4th Runner Up - $500 – In
Kind Scholarship